Party of 5 Serves Up Seasoned Cuisine in the Bishop Arts District

On the cusp of the new year, seasoned cuisine crept into the old Tacos Y Chelas space, and Bishop Arts welcomed a new restaurant: Party of 5.

We get curious when there's an opening that isn't plastered all over social media. These days, openings are practically hurled at our faces, so when one slips under the radar, of course, we need to investigate.

The inside is practically unrecognizable from the previous tenant's, and it now presents a chic space with a bistro feel. There are a handful of tables, a little bar in the back, and two tables outside for when the weather cooperates.
When we visited, they didn't have a cocktail menu yet, but there were plenty of spirits behind the bar for the bartender to get creative or shake up something classic. The food menu is themed "Seasoned Cuisine," with wings, sliders, quesadillas, seafood and salads.

It's clearly a family-run spot. As CultureMap reported, the restaurant is owned by Corey and Shannon Turner, who were involved, with other local concepts, including Turner Bros. BBQ Smokehouse and Smokin' Spuds BBQ. Corey handles the kitchen and Shannon runs the front of house.

Everything except the salmon bites is under $20, and classic or no, we can get behind that. It's a classic menu with nothing screaming avant-garde. We ordered the brisket quesadilla and the catfish filet with a Caesar salad as our choice of side.
The brisket quesadilla surprised us because, for $16, they pack the beef into this thing. It was practically brisket glued together with melted cheese, and the ratio was perfect. It's easy to be disappointed with a quesadilla order, but not here. By request, it's served with sour cream, salsa and pico de gallo.
The two catfish filets are fried and served with a kind of chipotle tartar sauce and a side salad, house fries or asparagus. Can you see all the seasoning on that catfish? Exactly. The outside is crispy and the inside is flaky and tender. The tartar sauce takes it up a notch as well.

We liked all the deconstructed crouton pieces in the salad, and all the ingredients were nice and fresh. The salad leans more on the chopped side, so you can get all the little elements in one bite without having to poke around.

Servers made sure that everything was perfect for us. Dining here is like indulging in comfort food from a home kitchen, but with a full bar. It's a win-win.

They recently announced brunch service on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a DJ. Look for fried fish and waffles, chicken and waffles, brisket tacos, breakfast sliders and more.

When the mimosas aren't flowing, pop in for R&B nights, cocktail classes and other events they host in the space. We're excited to see how they grow into the neighborhood.

Party of 5, 244 W Davis St., Tuesday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. & 4-9 p.m.; Friday/Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Monday, closed